At this city obtained contract as singer in the Llano Alto hotel, acting during nine months, after this he travels to Caracas, appearing at the stations Radio Rumbos and Radiodifusora Venezuela, the presenter Alfredo Acuña Zapata add the nickname Clarín de la Llanura to Contreras. One successfully at the media, make tours around Venezuela, for the projection of his career. Represented Venezuela in several international events, participating at the film Más Allá Del Orinoco (Beyond the Orinoco), next to the Mexican artist Javier Solís. Also at the Venezuelan production, Agua y Sangre, next to the actor Carlos Olivier.
In 1976 the governments of the states Apure and Portuguesa, made a tribute to him, revealing a bust of the artist at the town of Palmarito. Also in that year, records with José Romero Bello, and the group of Joseíto Romero, La Leyenda de Florentino y El Diablo (The legend of Florentino and the Devil) based on the poem of Alberto Arvelo Torrealba, with this interpretation Juan de los Santos Contreras consacrates like artist.
El Carrao de Palmarito, participated at many Joropo Festivals, some of them, The first International Match of Joropo, celebrated in Arauca, Colombia, obtaing two gold medals and 15000 pesos, Second Festival of Joropo, San Fernando de Apure, winner of the Cantaclaro de Oro First Contest, also obtain three first places at the Festivals of Villavicencio, Colombia, second place at the Maracaya de Oro, in Maracay, and a Honorary degree at the Florentino de Oro, for his musical career.
In 1998, directed by John Petrizzelli and Mercedes Ramírez, was presentated a documentary film about his life, with the title of Carrao, exploring the daily life, the beliefs, customs and memories as well as the artistic trajectory and biography of the singer. This film was awarded by the Cinemateca Nacional de Venezuela.
Contreras was condecorated in many occasions, for his contribution to the Venezuelan folk music, received recognitions from institutions like, Kids Foundation of Venezuela, Central University of Venezuela, Chacao Municipality, Aragua state Government, a tribute by the embassy of Venezuela in Jamaica, and the National Prize of Music in 1998.
Between his best known songs, they emphasize, Florentino y el Diablo, Aquella mujer que amé, Furia, Chaparralito llanero, Cajón del Arauca apureño, Llanura yo soy tu hijo, Plegaria llanera, Travesía de San Camilo, Faenas del llano, Dulce María, Mis retoños, El morrocoy de doña Carmen, Caminito de Arichuna, Recorriendo a Barinas, Los martirios del Carrao, El sueño de Julio Verne, Villavicencio, among others.
On December 10, 2002, at the age of 74, this legend of the Venezuelan folklore dies in Barinas.
Discography:
In 1954, records his first 45 rpm disc for the Velvet seal, titled Fiesta de los Santos, in 1965 Llanura yo soy tu hijo, with the Cachilapo seal. Lanura ... aquí están tus hijos, with the group Sentimento Apureño, Florentino y El Diablo in 1976, his discography includes in addition two 45 rpm discs, and thirty five 33 rpm, accompanied with groups and artists like: Eugenio Bandres, Eudes Álvarez, Omar Moreno, Cándido Herrera, Gustavo Sánchez, Nery Torrealba, Luis Rojas, Joseíto Romero.
Los maizales
El Carrao de Palmarito Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo me pongo a comparar,
La fragancia de su cuerpo y de sus ojos
Con la espiga del maizal,
Como brisa mañanera que juega con la neblina
Los besos de mi morena ponen aliento a mi vida
Y me dejan el perfume de espiga recien nacida,
Siempre me pongo a pensar en su lindo prendedor
Como brilla mi maizal bajo los rayos del sol.
Del rancho a la sementera con gran cariño
Yo me dedico a pensar
En tus caricias morena y en tus sonrisas
Cuando me vas a besar
Con el sudor de mi frente voy regando a mis rastrojos
Y mi cuerpo ya no siente la herida de los abrojos
Porque recuerdo el instante la hermosa luz de tus ojos
Cuando llego sudoroso con el trabajo en la tarde
En tus brazos cariñosos se me refresca la tarde
Como refresca el rocio el calor de mis maizales
The lyrics of El Carrao de Palmarito's song Los maizales revolves around the beauty of the countryside, particularly the cornfields, and the love between the singer and his beloved. The opening lines reveal the singer's affection for his land and his admiration for the cornfield's beauty. He then compares it to the body and eyes of his significant other, stating that they exude a fragrance that's as refreshing as the morning breeze that plays with the mist. The kisses he receives from his beloved give him the strength to face life's challenges, and he's left with the scent of newly sprouted corn.
In the second verse, the singer talks about how he devotes himself to his work, thinking about his lover's caresses and smiles while he tends to his crops. He waters them with sweat from his brow and ignores his injuries because of the thought of his lover's beautiful eyes. When he arrives home tired from a long day's work, he's greeted by the love and tenderness of his significant other, refreshing him as the dew does his crops.
Overall, the lyrics of Los maizales paint a picture of love in the midst of natural beauty and hard work.
Line by Line Meaning
Cuando contempla mi campo con gran ternura
When she looks at my field with great tenderness
Yo me pongo a comparar,
I start to compare
La fragancia de su cuerpo y de sus ojos
The fragrance of her body and her eyes
Con la espiga del maizal,
With the corn stalks
Como brisa mañanera que juega con la neblina
Like a morning breeze playing with the mist
Los besos de mi morena ponen aliento a mi vida
My brunette's kisses give me life
Y me dejan el perfume de espiga recien nacida,
Leaving me with the scent of fresh corn stalks
Siempre me pongo a pensar en su lindo prendedor
I always think about her pretty brooch
Para verlo titilar en el pecho de mi amor
To see it sparkle on my lover's chest
Como brilla mi maizal bajo los rayos del sol.
Just like my corn fields shine under the sun.
Del rancho a la sementera con gran cariño
From the ranch to the corn fields with great affection
Yo me dedico a pensar
I dedicate myself to thinking
En tus caricias morena y en tus sonrisas
About your caresses and your smiles, my brunette
Cuando me vas a besar
When you're going to kiss me
Con el sudor de mi frente voy regando a mis rastrojos
With sweat on my brow, I water my corn stalks
Y mi cuerpo ya no siente la herida de los abrojos
And my body no longer feels the prick of thorns
Porque recuerdo el instante la hermosa luz de tus ojos
Because I remember the beautiful light in your eyes
Cuando llego sudoroso con el trabajo en la tarde
When I arrive sweaty from work in the afternoon
En tus brazos cariñosos se me refresca la tarde
In your loving arms, the afternoon refreshes me
Como refresca el rocio el calor de mis maizales
Just as the dew refreshes the heat of my corn fields
Contributed by Cameron A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.